Senators urge retention of Renewable Fuel Standard
November 14, 2013 | 09:17 PM
A coalition of 32 senators led by Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash. and Sens. Al Franken, D-Minn., Roy Blunt, R-Mo., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, today urged the Obama administration to carefully consider biodiesel targets as the Environmental Protection Agency issues the Renewable Fuel Standard targets for 2014.
EPA is widely expected to lower the targets under the RFS.
“Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013,” the letter to administration officials said.
“The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market,” the senators wrote.
“Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.”
Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, added in a news release,
“This strong showing of bipartisan support represents the very real impact that biodiesel is having in communities across the country. It is creating jobs, reducing emissions and diversifying our fuel supplies so that consumers and our economy are not so vulnerable to volatile global oil markets.”
“Biodiesel is an RFS success story,” she said, “and we are urging the administration to continue the momentum.”
EPA is widely expected to lower the targets under the RFS.
“Biodiesel has exceeded RFS targets in each year and is clearly poised to do so again in 2013,” the letter to administration officials said.
“The industry has had impressive growth, going far beyond initial expectations just five years ago, and is supporting 62,160 jobs and nearly $17 billion in total economic impact. Biodiesel is improving our energy security by reducing our dependence on imported petroleum diesel, diversifying fuel supplies and creating competition in the fuels market,” the senators wrote.
“Setting the 2014 biodiesel volume requirement at reduced levels could have severe impacts on the domestic biodiesel industry. Further, a continuation of 2013 levels paired with any reduction in advanced biofuels targets could similarly negatively impact the industry.”
Anne Steckel, vice president of federal affairs at the National Biodiesel Board, added in a news release,
“This strong showing of bipartisan support represents the very real impact that biodiesel is having in communities across the country. It is creating jobs, reducing emissions and diversifying our fuel supplies so that consumers and our economy are not so vulnerable to volatile global oil markets.”
“Biodiesel is an RFS success story,” she said, “and we are urging the administration to continue the momentum.”
